India vs. South Africa Live Score Updates: India vs. South Africa First Test Live Cricket Score In the opening of the two-match Test series in Kolkata at Eden Gardens on Friday, Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant join the Indian team.
First Test Live Cricket Score Updates for South Africa (SA) vs. India (IND): At Eden Gardens in Kolkata, South African captain Temba Bavuma chose to bat first against Shubman Gill’s India after winning the toss. This was essentially verified by India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate during the pre-match news conference on Wednesday. Since first-choice wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is returning to the starting lineup after missing the West Indies series owing to an injury sustained during the tour of England earlier this year, there was some uncertainty around this.
| Match | South Africa tour of India, 2025 – 1st Test |
|---|
| Teams | India vs South Africa |
| Score | South Africa: 0/0 (0.0) |
| Batting | Aiden Markram* – 0 (0)Ryan Rickelton – 0 (0) |
| Bowling | Jasprit Bumrah* – 0/0 (0) |
| Status | Play In Progress (Day 1 – 1st Test) |
| Toss | South Africa elect |
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates:
Sharing the pitch conditions ahead of the match, Dinesh Karthik and Shaun Pollock said the weather in Kolkata is ideal for cricket, with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 27°C. They noted that the surface appears firm and dry, especially in the center, as no watering was done on the eve of the Test. This dryness is likely to introduce turn as the game progresses, though not on Day 1.
According to them, the opening day is expected to assist reverse swing, giving quality pacers like Rabada and Bumrah something to work with regardless of conditions. Pollock also recalled Temba Bavuma’s previous experience on this ground, when Australia bowled South Africa out in the World Cup semifinal after he chose to bat first. With enough grass and hardness on the surface, there could be early movement for fast bowlers, before the pitch wears down gradually over the course of the Test.
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Shubman Gill at the Toss
Reacting to yet another lost toss, Shubman Gill joked, “I think the only toss I’m going to win is hopefully in the WTC Final.” He said the surface looked good and expected some early movement for the fast bowlers. “The dressing room atmosphere is fantastic. This Test group is hungry and determined every time we take the field. These two Tests are very important for us, and our hunger is as strong as ever.”
Gill added that the pitch should play well for the first couple of days before offering turn later in the match. He confirmed two changes: Rishabh Pant returns to the XI in place of Reddy, while Axar Patel is also back.
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Bavuma at the Toss
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma opted to bat first. “The boys have just returned from Pakistan, and I’ve been with the A team. From a preparation standpoint, we’ve done everything we can,” he said. Bavuma expressed his excitement about playing in front of 50,000–60,000 fans and being back in India, calling it an “eye-opener.”
Reflecting on their World Test Championship status, he added, “It’s been sitting well with us. Hopefully, nothing changes—we just want to keep performing with pride.” On the pitch, Bavuma described it as dry with little grass, typical of Indian conditions, where first-innings runs will be crucial. He confirmed that Rabada misses out, with Corbin Bosch replacing him in the XI.
Nov 14, 2025 – 09:08 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: India XI Announced
India’s playing XI for the first Test:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Nov 14, 2025 – 09:08 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Scenes from Eden Gardens
Sayak Dutta reports from the ground: It’s 8:30 AM and a sizeable crowd has already gathered outside Eden Gardens, eagerly waiting to enter.
Nov 14, 2025 – 08:43 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: What Gill Said Before the Match
Shubman Gill reflected on his special connection with Eden Gardens:
“I cherish a lot of memories here. My IPL journey began at this venue, and every time I return, I feel the same way I feel at PCA Stadium in Mohali. It always feels like home.”
Nov 14, 2025 – 08:41 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Bavuma on Team Plans
Temba Bavuma discussed team selection dynamics:
“We haven’t finalised the team yet. The ball swings a bit more here in Kolkata compared to other venues in India, so an extra pacer is always a consideration. But at the same time, you need enough spin options in the subcontinent.”
Nov 14, 2025 – 08:22 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Predicted India XI
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.
Nov 14, 2025 – 08:07 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Predicted South Africa XI
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada.
Nov 14, 2025 – 07:59 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: Jadeja on the Brink of History
Ravindra Jadeja is just 10 runs short of reaching 4000 in Test cricket. Achieving the milestone today would make him only the fourth player after Ian Botham, Daniel Vettori, and Kapil Dev to complete the rare double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets in Tests.
Off the field, chatter continues about his potential move to Rajasthan Royals, but all eyes are on his historic feat at Eden Gardens.
Nov 14, 2025 – 07:36 AM IST
IND vs SA 1st Test Live Score Updates: India’s Spin Strengths – Report by Sandip G
Kuldeep Yadav remains one of India’s major threats, backed by a versatile spin unit featuring Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel—each capable of striking at crucial moments.
Following the recent struggle in New Zealand, India may reconsider producing heavily turning pitches from Day 1, but spin is always central to Test cricket in India. South African players observed the pitch briefly during practice, appearing neither confused nor overly concerned before heading to the nets to work on their sweep shots.
Some turn is expected as the match progresses. As Shubman Gill put it:
“Whenever we play in India, more or less the spinners decide the game.”
Must Read:-
